By Jennifer Fiorillo
Mental Health
Jennifer Fiorillo
It’s no surprise that only about 10 percent of New Year’s resolutions are actually accomplished. We are creatures of habit, and making sustained change can be very challenging when life and lack of motivation get in the way.
Some studies have shown that by the second week in January, many resolute goals setters start waving the white flag in defeat. There are a multitude of reasons why New Year’s resolutions fail, one of the most common being that goals are too lofty or unattainable. This can often lead to frustration.
Instead of going into the new year with lofty goals that can be overwhelming, why not take steps to improve your emotional and mental well-being? Adopting steps to be happier instead of “better” can have a greater impact and can lead to a general sense of contentment. This approach beats putting unnecessary pressure to completely change your lifestyle or appearance from unrealistic resolutions.
What steps can a person take in the new year to be happier?
Learn to say “no.” You may not be one to decline requests or opportunities, but we have all experienced feeling overloaded, and that only adds to our level of stress. Start practicing saying no to things that cut into your personal time and the time that you may need to keep your life in order. You can’t meet other peoples’ needs if you can’t meet your own first.
Practice random acts of kindness. In a world where we are all super busy and can’t always pay attention to what’s happening around us, offer a helping hand to someone who may be struggling. It could be as simple as helping an elderly person take their trash can to the end of the driveway or bringing food to a sick neighbor. Allow yourself to give back even if it’s in a small way. Doing this will force you to pause and not be absorbed by the demands of your own life.
Ask for help when you need it. For those stoic people out there, it’s time to allow yourself a little assistance from others when things become too overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask your family or friends to help you when you’re in a bind. This doesn’t mean becoming dependent on others – you are admitting to yourself that you’re human and could sometimes use a little extra support with getting things done.
Finally, one that many of us will have a difficult time implementing: give yourself time to disconnect from social media and the cell phone. We are bombarded by a constant stream of news updates and trending items. A majority of what we read and see is negative news that only adds to the doom and gloom that we have experienced from the pandemic in the last 22 months. It’s time to develop the habit of shutting it down, even if it’s only for a few hours a day. There isn’t anything of great importance that will happen in that short period of time to warrant staying connected to a world of chaos.
Jennifer Fiorillo, MBA, MPH is the president and CEO of Bridges Healthcare in Milford, and may be reached at Jfiorillo@bridgesmilford.org.